JPS62136404A - Automatic storage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to effectively use a storage rack irrespective of the sizes of articles, by automatically changing several kinds of hands in accordance with the kind data of articles so that the articles are directly stored onto the storage rack without using pallets. CONSTITUTION:Several kinds of articles 2 may be delivered from and stored into a rack 1. A shifter device 3 is provided with a motor 6 for rotating a hand holding mechanism 4, a motor 8 for elevating a carrier bed 5 and a motor 10 for horizontally moving the carrier bed 5. A stand-by rack 11 for several kinds of hands 12l-12s is laid at one end of the rack 1. When a controller delivers article data, the shifter device 3 moves to the hand standby rack 11 to receive hands corresponding to the data, and moves the corresponding position to take out an article from or store an article onto the rack 1. With this arrangement, it is possible to store articles without regular pallets being provided, thereby it is possible to greatly enhance the storage capacity of the rack 1.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an automatic warehouse.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, an automated warehouse has shelves that can take out and store multiple types of items, a moving device that moves the shelf to a position corresponding to the moving instruction data from a controller, and an item that is attached to this moving device. It has an insertion/removal means for loading and unloading.

Conventionally, in this type of automated warehouse, one type of standardized red was lined up on the shelves, and items were stored on top of the red. Each item was loaded and unloaded on a pallet basis.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, with this structure, regardless of the size of the items to be stored, a large area is required, and the shelves cannot be used effectively.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic warehouse in which items can be stored directly on shelves according to their types without using pallets.

[Means for solving problems]

The automatic warehouse according to the present invention includes a shelf capable of taking out and storing a plurality of types of items, a moving device that moves the shelf to a position corresponding to the moving instruction data according to moving instruction data from a controller, and a predetermined position of the moving device. In an automated warehouse equipped with hands that are attached to certain locations to grasp items, a plurality of types of hands corresponding to the types of items are prepared in advance at predetermined locations, and the hands are placed in a predetermined position in advance to hold the items. It is characterized by automatically exchanging hands.

[Effect]

According to such a configuration, the size of the conventional motherboard does not determine the size of the system, and if the nine items are small, the space can be narrowed.

Furthermore, when gripping one item, it is possible to combine the optimal hands suitable for the one item.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to two drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an automated warehouse according to the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a side view.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a shelf from which a plurality of types of items 2 can be taken out and stored. In this embodiment, three types of items with different diameters can be taken out and stored.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a moving device for holding a hand, which will be described later. A hand rotation motor 6 fixed to a conveyance table 5 for rotating a hand holding mechanism 4, and a hand rotation motor 6 for rotating the hand holding mechanism 4, which will be described later, move the conveyance table 5 along a column 7. 8. Motor for vertical movement of the conveyor table to move it in the vertical direction. And a column self-propelling motor 10 for horizontally moving the column 7 (transport table 5) along the rail 9 is provided.

A hand standby shelf 11 for holding a plurality of types of hands is installed at one end of the shelf l. In this example, three types of hands (
Large hand 12t, medium hand 12m and small hand 12S)
is available.

In such a configuration, when the moving device 3 receives movement instruction data from a controller (not shown), it drives and controls the transport platform vertical movement motor 8 and the column self-propelling motor 10 to a position corresponding to the data. I would like to do that,
Moving. Further, when the hand holding mechanism 4 receives data by type of item from the controller, if the received data cannot be held by the currently held hand, the hand holding mechanism 4 moves the moving device 3 to the hand standby shelf 11. Move and replace the hand with one according to the data received.

Referring to FIG. 2, the hand 12 has a hand main body 13, and a pair of claws 14 that are rotatable about a fulcrum 14a are provided at the front of the upper surface of the hand body 13. The pair of claws 14 are normally biased by a spring 15 interposed therebetween so that the claws 2 are opened to a stopper 16 as shown in the figure. On both sides of the hand body 13, there are hand holding mechanisms 4, which will be described later.
A notch 17 is provided to be held by a hand holding claw.

On the rear surface of the hand body 13, there is a hole 18 for identifying the hand type.
is drilled. The number of holes 18 differs depending on the type of hand. For example, a small hand 12s has two holes on the top and bottom, and a medium hand 12m has one hole on the top.

In the large hand 12t, one is provided at the bottom.

An L-shaped bottom support member 19 is provided on the bottom of the hand body 13 to support the bottom of one item.

Referring to FIG. 3, an example of the hand holding mechanism 4 is shown holding the hand 12. As shown in FIG. Hand holding mechanism 4
has a hand holding mechanism main body 20, and a pair of hand holding claws 21 rotatable about a fulcrum 21a are provided on the upper surface of the main body 20. The front end of the pair of hand holding claws 21 has a protrusion 21b that engages with the notch 17 of the hand 12. One rear end side of the hand holding claw 21 is.

The hand holding claw opening/closing cylinder 22 is fixed to the main body 22a at a fulcrum 23, and the other rear end side of the hand holding claw opening/closing cylinder 22 is connected to the piston shaft 2 of the hand holding claw opening/closing cylinder 22.
2b and a fulcrum 24. The cylinder 22 for opening and closing the hand holding claw is connected to the piston shaft 22'b by compressed air.
expands and contracts in its longitudinal direction as shown by arrow A in the figure,
As a result, the hand holding claw 21 is rotated about its fulcrum 21a as shown by arrow B in the figure. In addition.

Piston shaft 22b of hand holding claw opening/closing cylinder 22
The position when contracted is determined by the stock lock 25.

In addition, on the front side of the upper central part of the hand holding mechanism main body 20,
A main body 26a of a claw opening/closing cylinder 26 for opening and closing the claws 14 of the hand 12 is fixed, and its piston shaft 26b is expanded and contracted in its longitudinal direction by compressed air as shown by arrow C in the figure. A U-shaped protruding member 27 is attached to the tip of the piston shaft 26b, and both ends of the protruding member 27 are located at positions corresponding to one end of the pawl 14, respectively, so that the protruding member 27 moves in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure as the piston shaft 26b expands and contracts. The hand 12 is moved as shown in FIG. 1 to abut one end of the claw 14, and the other end of the claw 14 of the hand 12 is rotated about its fulcrum 14a as shown by arrow E in the figure.

Further, inside the hand holding mechanism main body 20, two limit switches 28 are provided at upper and lower positions via pressing members 29 at positions corresponding to the holes 18 of the hand 12. Pressing member 2
9, the projection 21b of the hand holding claw 21 is attached to the hand 12.
When the hole 18 is not present, it moves to the right of the arrow F shown in the figure and presses the limit switch 28, and if the hole 18 is present, it does not move and does not press the limit switch 28. Therefore, when the limit switch 28 is pressed, the logic is "1", and when it is not pressed, the logic is "ON".In the case of this embodiment, when the hand holding mechanism 4 holds the hand 12, the upper limit switch 28 is set.

In the order below, if the held hand 12 is a small hand 12s, the logic is "00", if the held hand is a medium hand 12m, the logic is "01#", and if the held hand is a large hand 12t, the logic is "10#".

Note that the hand holding mechanism main body 20 is attached at its rear end to the tip of a piston shaft 30b of a cylinder for moving the hand holding mechanism (not shown) fixed to the transport table 5;

The compressed air causes the piston shaft 30b to expand and contract in its longitudinal direction as shown by the arrow G in the figure, thereby moving the hand holding mechanism main body 20.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, in the present invention, a plurality of types of hands are prepared depending on the type of one item.

Because I'm trying to automatically exchange hands.

This has the effect of making effective use of shelves.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an automated warehouse according to the present invention, in which (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and FIG. 2 is a specific example of the hand shown in FIG. 1. 2, in which (a) is a plan view, (b) is a side view, and FIG. 3 is a specific example of the hand holding mechanism shown in FIG. 1 with the hand shown in FIG. 2 being held. FIG. ■...Shelf, 2...Item, 3...Moving device, 4...
・Hand holding mechanism, 11...Hand standby shelf, 12t
...Large huff)", 12 m...Medium hand, 1
2s...small hunt. Figure 2(b)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A shelf capable of picking up and storing a plurality of types of items, a moving device that moves the shelf to a position corresponding to the moving instruction data according to moving instruction data from a controller, and a moving device that is attached to a predetermined location of the moving device. In an automated warehouse having hands for gripping items, multiple types of hands corresponding to the types of items are kept waiting at predetermined locations in advance,
An automated warehouse characterized in that hands are automatically exchanged according to article type data from the controller.